There are a lot of things to admire about Gucci, but today, the thing that strikes me most is the brand’s commitment to interesting hardware. Horse bits, stirrups, bamboo – the Gucci has made a legacy of adorning its bags with interesting signature metal work. For Gucci Fall 2013, the go-to piece seems to be a big, bold, rectangular buckle that’s being referred to as the Gucci Lady Buckle and is often paired with striking jaguar print.

For the past few seasons, Frida Giannini, Creative Director of Gucci, has brought the house back to the forefront of our minds. With a steely yet sexy combination, Gucci Fall 2013 focuses on constructed silhouettes with femme fatale touches on every accessory. The color scheme is deep and sultry, including wine, rust, moss green and cerulean blue. With great attention paid to detail, the accessories steal the show (along with the evening wear).

I feel like I’ve delivered the “spring is coming” message a lot over the past six weeks, and although I’m sure I sound like a broken record, this winter weather has gone on so long that I feel as though I’m repeating as much to convince myself that it’s true as to talk about spring fashion. As I write this, it’s 45 degrees in early April and I’m about to set out toward warmer climates for a bit of a vacation, but to make it this far, I’ve had to completely give myself over to the delusion (it certainly feels like a delusion) that one day, the Gucci Leather and Raffia Holdall will indeed be a weather-appropriate choice for a weekend beach trip someplace local.

Lately, my relationship with and love for Gucci has been growing. The brand has always been on my mind and has always been iconic, but there has been a recent resurgence that brought back the house classics with a current twist and I, for one, could not be happier. I recently reviewed my Lady Stirrup bag, and now I’ve got nothing but love for the Gucci Horsebit Shoulder Bags.

In the accessories world, Gucci has some of the best-known and most unique signature details. Horsebits, stirrups, the famous Flora print, the green-and-red webbed stripe – there are a lot of non-logo ways that you can immediately tell you’re looking at a Gucci bag. Perhaps the most recognizably bit of Gucci regalia, though, is bamboo. Introduced in 1947, the famed bamboo handle is getting a thoroughly modern upgrade in matte black for Gucci Fall 2013.

They’re here, they’re here, they’re finally here! Gucci Spring 2013 handbags, that is. I’ve been waiting for this collection to drop since it debuted on the runway last fall, and that day has finally come. Lucky for me, the bags are just as bright, fresh and modern as they felt way back in September.

Most of the bags fall under what Gucci has dubbed the Bright Bit collection, which includes ultra-streamlined clutches, shoulder bags and totes in, you guessed it, bright colors.

I’ve owed you all a Purseonals for quite some time, and although it’s been a while, I think this particular Purseonal is worth the wait. I fell in love with Gucci all over again this fall and winter, so much so that my current go-to bag is my Gucci Lady Stirrup Top Handle Bag. Finished in the perfect burgundy hue, this bag combines a structured ladylike design with touches of classic Gucci that are familiar and well-loved.

It’s true, I love Gucci. I always have. When I was in college, one of my first major purchases came down to Gucci and Fendi, and even though I went with the Fendi Spy bag at the time, Gucci still holds a special place in my heart. I’ve followed the brand closely over the years, and recently, its handbags have wowed me more than I can even explain.

Lately I’ve been feeling more and more like a Gucci girl. I have a new bag from the brand (review to come soon!), and it reinvigorated my love for the brand in so many ways. As much as the GG monogram bags are still popular, the classics are what draws me in. Lately, Gucci has been knocking it out of the park.

Luxury, as with everything else, has its levels. Luxury perfume and cosmetics are the entry level, according to both price and deliberate positioning by designer brands. Handbags and shoes are the next step up; they’re much more expensive, but still accessible because they’re durable goods that don’t require the wearer to maintain an adolescently slender frame. Beyond that is ready-to-wear, and eventually, haute couture.